Spears' visitation rights still suspended

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles official overseeing the Britney Spears-Kevin Federline child custody battle has declined to restore Spears' visitation rights for now.

TMZ.com said the order followed the testimony of several people, including two Los Angeles Police Department officers who responded to a call at Spears' home earlier this month.

The pop singer was hospitalized for a psychological evaluation following the incident, which began when she refused to return her two toddler sons to their father at the end of a visit.

Federline was awarded temporary sole physical and legal custody of the children, while the pop singer was stripped of her visitation rights shortly after the incident.

Testifying at the custody hearing Monday were parenting coach Lisa Hacker, bodyguard Loni Jones, Federline's attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan and Pamela Strong, the court monitor present during the episode at Spears' house, TMZ.com said.

Although Spears was not required to appear at Monday's hearing, she was reportedly advised by her lawyers to do so.

"Absolutely she's been advised to show," a source told People.com before the session. "Her attendance is important."

However, she skipped the morning part of the hearing and although she was spotted outside the courthouse in the afternoon, she quickly retreated as the paparazzi swarmed around her.

"I'm scared. I want to get in the car. I'm going in the car," People.com reported she said as

she did just that. When police attempted to persuade her to come out, the report said, she slammed her back against the seat and shouted, "No!"

Her car eventually left.

The next hearing in the custody case is scheduled for Feb. 19.